previous next
callĕo , ēre, v. n. and
I.a. [callum].
I. Neutr.
A. Lit., to be callous, to be thickskinned (rare): “plagis costae callent,Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 4; Caecil. ap. Non. p. 258, 10: “callent rure manus,Auct. Aetn. 260; Plin. 11, 37, 84, § 211.—
B. Trop. *
1. To be hardened, insensible, unfeeling: in illis rebus exercitatus animus callere jam debet atque omnia minoris existimare, Serv. Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 2; cf. callisco.—
2. To be practised, to be wise by experience, to be skilful, versed in; in a pun on the literal sense A. supra: “callum aprugnum callere aeque non sinam,Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 2; cf. id. ib. v. 1; so id. Pers. 2, 5, 4: “omnes homines ad suum quaestum callent,id. Truc. 5, 40 (cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 62: callidus ad quaestum); Amm. 15, 2, 4: melius quam viri callent mulieres, Att. ap. Non. p. 257, 31 (Trag. Rel. v. 28 Rib.): “satin' astu et fallendo callet?id. ib. p. 258, 6 (Trag. Rel. v. 475 ib.): “quod periti sumus in vitā atque usu callemus magis,id. ib. 258, 5: “si in re navali, cujus esset ignarus, offendisset, eo plus in ea, quorum usu calleret, spei nactus,Liv. 35, 26, 10: “cottidiano usu ejus (negotii) callebant,Val. Max. 8, 12, 1; Plin. 8, 25, 38, § 91; 9, 29, 46, § 86: “augurandi studio Galli praeter caeteros callent,Just. 24, 4, 3: arte, Ser. ap. Non. p. 258, 2; Sol. 8: “bellis callere,by military experience, Sil. 6, 90 sq.: fidibus, App. Flor. n. 18.—
II. Act., to know by experience or practice, to know, have the knowledge of, understand (freq., esp. in the poets; “in Cic. very rare): memini et scio et calleo et commemini,Plaut. Pers. 2, 1, 8; cf. id. ib. 3, 1, 52; id. Poen. 3, 1, 71: “cuncta perdocte callet,id. Most. 1, 3, 122: “alicujus sensum,Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 17: istaec malitiosa non tam calleo, Afran. ap. Non. p. 482, 10 (Com. Rel. v. 124 Rib.): “in colubras callet cantiunculam,Pompon. ib. 482, 9 (Com. Rel. v. 118 ib.): “jura,Cic. Balb. 14, 32; Gell. 16, 10, 3: “urbanas rusticasque res pariter,Liv. 39, 40, 4: “artem,Tac. A. 13, 3: “legitimum sonum digitis callemus et aure,Hor. A. P. 274 al.
(β). With inf. as object: multaque de rerum mixturā dicere callent, * Lucr. 2, 978; Hor. C. 4, 9, 49; Juv. 4, 142; Pers. 5, 105.—
(γ). With acc. and inf.: quem Marcellini consiliarium fuisse callebant, Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 258, 8.—
(δ). With rel.-clause: “quo pacto id fieri soleat, calleo,Ter. Heaut. 3, 2, 37.—Hence, callens , entis, P. a., acquainted with, versed in, skilful, expert (very rare): “qui sunt vaticinandi callentes,Plin. 21, 31, 105, § 182: “utriusque linguae,Gell. 17, 5, 3: “bellandi,Amm. 16, 12, 32.—* Adv.: callenter , skilfully, cunningly; for the class. callide, App. M. 4, p. 150, 3.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (19 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (19):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 4.5.2
    • Cicero, For Cornelius Balbus, 14.32
    • Plautus, Persa, 2.5
    • Horace, Ars Poetica, 274
    • Tacitus, Annales, 13.3
    • Plautus, Mostellaria, 1.3
    • Plautus, Persa, 2.1
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 3.1
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 3.2
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 1.2
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 2.978
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 8.91
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 9.86
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 39, 40
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 35, 26.10
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 16.10.3
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 17.5.3
    • Persius, Saturae, 5
    • Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 8.12.1
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: